Putting the ‘done’ in one-and-done

Many of the freshman stars who garnered so much of the college basketball world’s attention this season have been bounced from March Madness.

Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Oklahoma’s Trae Young, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., Alabama’s Collin Sexton, Texas’ Mohamed Bamba and Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr. are all considered potential NBA lottery picks and expected to turn pro. They’re also all out of the NCAA tournament. Sexton is the only freshman from that group who even reached the second round.

“I hate losing,” Young said after Oklahoma’s firstround overtime loss to Rhode Island. “That’s not in my DNA, losing.”

One lesson these freshmen are learning: It always helps to be surrounded by experienced players or equally talented freshmen.

Only three of the top seven prospects from the 2017 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite, remain in the tournament. It’s probably no coincidence that all three of them play for the same school: Duke.

Marvin Bagley III, Trevon Duval and Wendell Carter Jr. are in the regional semifinals after helping the Blue Devils win their first two tournament games by an average of 23-plus points. Duke has five players — including four freshmen — averaging 10 or more points.

“That’s the reason I came to Duke, to play with a lot of great guys who I’ve seen play before and to be able to team up with these guys and figure out each other and work together,” Bagley said.

Kentucky also has reached the Sweet 16 with a freshman class that included five of the top 18 Class of 2017 recruits, according to 247Sports. Freshmen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hamidou Diallo, PJ Washington and Kevin Knox have averaged a combined 66 points in two games.

NIT

Quinndary Weatherspoon got a friendly bounce off the rim on a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Mississippi State at Baylor, 78-77 in the second round . ... Andrew Rowsey scored 29 points with nine assists and host Marquette had its highestscoring game of the season in a 101-92 victory over Oregon to advance to the quarterfinals . ... Ray Spalding scored 18 points and host Louisville beat Middle Tennessee 84-68.